Stuff I Like - March Edition
a bad haircut and a good run jacket.
Happy second week of spring where it also feels like the 753rd day of winter. Luckily here in SF fake spring has transitioned into nearly spring which I’m hoping means real spring is around the corner. We had a few random sunny 70 degree days (a rarity for us no matter what the season) and I was able to sneak in a few luxurious runs in which I got both my arms and my legs out and didn’t regret my life choices. Now we’re back to heavy skies, thick clouds and the possibility of rain as is the fickle mood of mother nature.
It’s been a busy few weeks, coming hot off a Grammy visit into my husband’s birthday week and enjoying a last couple of days with Dougie before he transitions back to daycare full time (😭 but also 🥳 ) next week. My sinuses are back to their optimal operating state (minus some ever-present seasonal allergies) and I’ve boxed up all the humidifiers just in time to get them all out again. So far we’ve got a two week streak of good health (*knocks on all the wood*) so maybe they’ll get to remain in storage where they belong. Luckily for all of us I’m not here to write yet another post about how bad cold and flu season is and how toddlers are all petri dishes.
Big week this week for the mister as he received his first *real* haircut and it’s terrible. I bribed him with a new ‘cool car’ that he got to pick out at Target on the way so really the only one who’s traumatized is me. I should have seen it coming because he chose a Pontiac Trans Am from a 1970’s film and the haircut he got is straight out of the same era and not in a good way. The cut was on Monday and I’m still pretty upset and angry at myself because I didn’t even want to cut it but felt like it was something I should do based on external remarks around his hair hiding his ‘adorable face’ or him ‘looking like a caveman’ after his naps. I felt like it was my duty as his mother to take care of it because god forbid I was in some way impeding on his cuteness because I refused to get his hair cut. Since I’m the one who booked and then took him to the appointment, it’s also my fault he looks like someone cut his hair with a dull butterknife and some toenail clippers in a back alley. He’s a cute kid and luckily for him me hair grows fast and in a month or two or five it’ll hopefully be a distant memory and I’ll no longer be cursing the day I caved into the pressure to hack off all his adorable little baby hair. So on the Stuff I Don’t Like list for this month and all of eternity: toddler haircuts and PREP salon in Palo Alto. To top it off I even tipped her $10 because that’s what you do and it’s not like being a dick and not tipping would give my son his hair back but I will tell you who we won’t be seeing in three months for a trim.
On a happier, less traumatic but maybe still terrifying note, we finally got a lease in hand for Running Wylder IRL! On brand for the landlord, it took a month to produce and it’s a custom lease so it’s not just a sign here but rather a ‘please consult an attorney’ and our attorney had some suggestions so it’ll probably be another 2-3 weeks before we see a revised copy in our inboxes. They’ve also failed to supply us with a fairly important report that should be provided alongside the lease but at least she’s breathing and they aren’t secretly planning on leasing the space out to an ice cream store! Thus the reason for Dougie’s imminent return to full time daycare next week of which I’m excited but also sad and once I have properly processed my feelings will probably have some more thoughtful thoughts around in an upcoming post or two.
Today we’re here to talk about Stuff I Like, specifically rain jackets for running because I can truthfully say a running jacket is not something I ever thought I would happily put on a list of things I liked anytime in my life. I survived six years living in the pacific northwest where it torrentially downpoured 8 out of 12 months of the year and I never owned such a piece of apparel for running. My issue with a running jackets is that while it might keep me dry from the rain, I usually end up soaked in my own sweat instead from the hotbox that are 99% of running jackets on the market. Flimsy, filmy polyester tents that turn into their own microclimates 10 minutes into any physical endeavor. I actually asked a friend of mine, who is much better about wearing technical apparel for running than I am, for advice and she told me to buy one of the disposable ponchos they sell to tourists because they’re all terrible. So it appears I’m not a party of one at this table. While the majority of our atmospheric-induced rainy days are behind us, I’ve been sitting on this post for a while and April showers bring May flowers so while I’ve missed my window, if you live someplace where spring = rain perhaps I haven’t missed yours!
I find getting dressed this time of year to be challenging for running and for every day life in general if I’m honest. The novelty of putting on a sweater has worn off but it’s still too cold most days for anything else. I attempted to wear a sweater with shorts yesterday but my attempt was short lived and I finished my day in my usual wardrobe of sweater, sweats and slippers. Footwear can be equally confusing as I’m over socks but not ready to get my toes out and let’s be serious if I’m leaving the house at all it’s usually in running gear so the majority of my footwear choices need to require minimal to no thought or effort.
So for March, a Stuff I Like list of trans-seasonal spring items, hero-ing the one rain jacket I bought that may or may not actually work for running. Also this got unintentionally a little on the lengthy side so if it randomly cuts off in your email, apologies.
A Rain-Resistant Jacket for Running (+ Life)
I had a zoom session with my energy healer (cleanser? therapist?) a couple weeks ago and as I was updating her on all the things she advised I needed to try and have more fun with the process that is life unfolding at the moment. So here’s me having fun with my running jacket. It’s actually on brand for where I’m at with activewear at the moment - searching for items I can integrate into all aspects of my life without looking like I live in Orange County and shop exclusively at Vuori. Fine if that’s your vibe but it isn’t mine nor am I some sort of hypebeast gorp core street style junkie either. But how rad would it be to find a running jacket that functions for said activity but can also be styled out with my everyday clothes as well?
three great options - i went with the new balance jacket on the far left, but lulu hadn’t launched their run drop yet and might’ve considered this one instead if it had come in a solid color. ON running jacket far right - a more traditional yet still minimal option. when choosing a run jacket, lightweight, packability is key so you can ditch the layer if you no longer want/need it. I chose this New Balance jacket on a whim as I wanted something reminiscent of a hand-me-down Lands End windbreaker of my mom’s I used to wear for running in the early 2000’s when I was a college student and couldn’t afford new jeans, let alone new run gear. It has a packable hood which I thought might make it more versatile and an oversized fit which I figured would help the jacket sit away from my body so perhaps more air could flow ergo eliminating any potential hotbox induced condensing-on-the-inside-of-my-jacket scenarios. When the jacket arrived I was still skeptical and planned on returning it as the hood is super flimsy. It has no bungee or drawcord to allow me to tighten it so if it were *actually* raining the hood would be essentially non-functional as it would most likely be blown off my head by either wind or the simple act of running through space.
Before I shipped it back I figured I’d have a little fun with it first as the powers that be at New Balance would never know I had a little photoshoot before packing it back up, but turns out I sold myself on the jacket and it’s versatility and it now has a home in my closet.
new balance jacket (worn in every look), tracksmith session shorts (restocked! not discontinued!), an old free people cotton t-shirt, mother denim socks and my trusty asics novablasts. Option #1 : for running. The day I took this photo, I was on my way out the door to drop off my ballot (that’s how long I’ve been sitting on this post) en route on a nice 6 or 7 mile loop from my house. It was one of those will it or won’t it type of mornings where the sky looked heavy but also sunny so I ditched the jacket in favor of just the t-shirt underneath and immediately regretted my life choices. I was rain/misted on for the first 3 miles until the sun overpowered the clouds and then I was too hot for my t-shirt. Such is life in a city made up of microclimates.
i took this photo superfast as i was heading out the door and hadn’t even put shoes on yet. i wore trail shoes but how cute would these be with some statement socks instead? True to form in SF it was freezing when we left at 9am and boiling by 11am so I had layered my jacket over a long sleeve tee and under an oversized vintage sweatshirt. Layers were added and subtracted throughout the day. Option #2 : on a birthday hike with Matt. My husband and I have started making a habit out of ditching work and going for a 3 hour hike (appx. 8-9 miles) in the Marin headlands (our favorite route) once a month. We love it because unlike a date night (also important but for different reasons) we find it easier to relax and connect. I find often when we do date nights, we tend to spend at least half our time together just unwinding from the hecticness of work and life and while it’s nice to spend time together where we’re both showered and wearing something other than sweatpants (me more so than him), our conversations tend to be a bit more surface level and focused on of the moment things rather than the types of conversations that come up when you’re with someone for 3 hours with nothing else to do but walk, talk and occasionally stop for a photo of the ocean.
shorts and tee from option #1, plus a brown sweater from Clare V (i love it, it’s my favorite thing i’ve bought this winter) sadly sold out but similar-ish?, old wool socks from zara, vans and my tigers dad hat that i wear for running and is so old and so crusty the metal slider on the back is actually corroded from all the salt i’ve sweated on it. Option #3 : dad style with some vans, a sweater + the same shorts + tee I wore running in Option #1. I could 100% imagine myself wearing this if I were in LA for a week or grabbing croissants and coffee post-run with the mister.
super old & Other Stories sweater (similar), old umbro shorts + bass loafers. Option 4 : on vacation someplace warm, but where it still gets kind of chilly. Like imagine this outfit in Florida (or rather, like SoCal because Florida is on my ‘Do Not Travel’ list because a state run by DeSantis is not a state I’d like to visit). I love this because all the pieces can be worn together, apart or some combination thereof, lending some creativity to outfitting when limited to the constraints of a carry on.
my fave clare v. sweater, jacket, simple grey sweats i wear too often and some new balance sneaks i purchased last month to replace the grey ones i wore a hole through (literally). note i bought them in color…look at me taking risks! Option 5 : Dad style but with sweats. I remembered reading a post a while ago from Leandra Medine (of manrepeller fame) in which she styled an anorak in a million different ways and while I am not her and this is not that, I remember she had styled it under something in one look and thought ‘hmm that’s interesting’ and filed it away for another day. That day is today and here you go. I actually love wearing the windbreaker as an in between layer because it blocks the wind and adds just a wink of an unexpected tech twist that reads preppy in a very not literal way.
old soeur overalls (similar), bass loafers Option #6 : as a blouse with overalls. I own a disturbing amount of overalls in my closet, collected over the years and easily worn 4/7 days of the week when I’m not in sweats. They’re the perfect mix of ‘oh hey I got dressed today’ but so incredibly low-effort and sometimes I just don’t want to deal with a waistband. Most of the time I can’t even be bothered to properly button up the sides and just wear extra long/baggy tops underneath to compensate. When I was in my peak overall era circa 2018-2019 I used to love wearing a super femme blouse under them with some sort of unexpected shoe. The tension of femme off utility workwear was my jam until I just couldn’t be bothered to dry clean cotton blouses anymore and now it’s usually a sweater or long sleeve tee but maybe someday I’ll resurrect this look. Until then, might a blouse-like nylon windbreaker do the trick?
american vintage jacket from last year, same grey sweats, these adidas shoes. Option 7 : super layered up as a winter alternative to wearing a rain jacket when it may or may not rain. I actually wore this outfit to meet a friend for coffee in the morning when it was raining for this reason. I own a very nice, very functional rain jacket which I actually hate wearing because it’s too utilitarian in an 'am I going fishing’ sort of way. Which is fine if I’m running errands in a downpour and can’t be bothered with an umbrella but 90% of the time that’s just not my vibe. This was great because I could leave the hood out and use when needed but I was all warm and cozy inside.
Trans-seasonal shoes
It’s worth noting that the outfits above were not only made up of items of clothing I’ve had in my closet for years but also pieces were repeated throughout. Each look was not made up of an entirely new set of items, and none of them (minus my favorite Clare V. sweater) were purchased this year…except for the shoes. I’m an accessories girl at heart (I designed them for nearly 10 years) and while I might not leave the house regularly, I can still find a reason/need/excuse to purchase new footwear. I find adding a new shoe is the easiest way to add personality into an outfit without trying too hard.
From a seasonality aspect, this time of year is an especially confusing one for footwear - I’m over wearing socks but it’s still too cold to get my toes out, I need to leave the house in a hurry, I can’t be bothered/don’t have time to stand in front of a mirror and try on twelve different shoe options each morning, etc. I’ve purchased four pairs of shoes in the last three months (excluding my new running shoes), all focused on fulfilling a need or gap in my closet while also being comfortable and so easy to outfit it requires zero thought or effort. None of these shoes were crazy, break the bank Row prices either. Low effort, low investment, maximum return.
all the new shoes i’ve bought this year as i am apparently the only person *not* on a shopping diet. clockwise top left : bass loafers, new balance 574’s, zara mesh slides (finally scratched my mesh shoe itch - love that these aren’t just basic ballet flats), adidas SL 72 OG’s
I’m off to LA next week for a little mini-inspo trip to see some friends and do a little window shopping with my eyes so I may or may not have a post for you all. I’ve been struggling to meet my self-imposed once a week deadline lately with Wylder IRL ramping up, a freelance project I’m dreadfully behind on (as in : have not started) and general life stuff so I might switch to an every-other-week cadence for a bit and see how it goes. When I started my newsletter nearly a year ago, I did it to give myself something I could hold myself accountable to - a project that existed simply to give myself a creative outlet for writing - and now that I’m busier I might need to rethink my goals a bit. All TBD though so maybe I’ll see you next week and maybe I won’t? Either way, hope you’re all heading into a real spring too and your miles may be sunny.
*k
This is such great transition inspo! We need a new one for March 2025! ;)